J
A mistake of mine was being plugged into eschatology that had its origins in Hal Lindsey and persists to this day. While his work was monumental and opened the door, to masses, the relevance of eschatology in modern times, as well as some exegesis I still see as having validity, such as Israel, it did seem to lead to an epidemic of plugging news items into the Bible. (Came to later find out this went on since ancient times, people trying to force their times into scripture.)
There are so many best seller books that concoct theories, plugging anything and everything into scripture, to where scripture is butchered, a whole community of people each claiming they're right in their revolutionary, new exegesis, when it's obvious they can't each be right. I learned to shut it all out as noise if there's one Bible verse that contradicts the flavor-of-the-month exegesis, or somebody has, for instance, created a Psalm 83 war not in Psalm 83, learning the lesson that people who blab on and on from their own minds, a little scripture, but a lot of blabbering, are actually trying to force scripture into their theories, when scripture should speak for itself and be harmonious, throughout the Bible. You see the same true of cults, whose leaders write books filled with their own philosophies and doctrines they only use scripture to tangentially try to justify their dubious claims, that is, bad exegesis which only deceives. And what these so-called best seller book "scholars" are actually doing is trying to talk people into their theories to sell books. Their "teaching" is an infomercial for books and DVDs: they are actually on book tours, merchandising God, and people are taking their claims as doctrine these days!
So, I had to learn to be skeptical of most of what is popular in eschatology, not take for granted some big name in Christian popular culture really knows what they're talking about I may have trusted when young, learning the best exegesis comes from scholars who don't make a lot of noise and Bible teachers who derive their teachings from sure scripture harmonies and total context. Though it may be more boring, to not name the Antichrist or set a rapture date, at least it's truth. Most of what is popular eschatology out there is bunk, if actual scripture support is the measure. Just a few weeks ago, I looked into Rosh Hashanah, getting a bit irritated over seeing all these rapture date setters involving the "Feast of Trumpets." Well, the feast doesn't even really exist in the Bible as claimed! Appalling that most eschatology you hear these days isn't really in the Bible at all, as presented by these people selling books and websites. Some of these people, here's the only scripture harmony I can find,
2 Timothy 4:2-4 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
2 Peter 2:1-3 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
There are so many best seller books that concoct theories, plugging anything and everything into scripture, to where scripture is butchered, a whole community of people each claiming they're right in their revolutionary, new exegesis, when it's obvious they can't each be right. I learned to shut it all out as noise if there's one Bible verse that contradicts the flavor-of-the-month exegesis, or somebody has, for instance, created a Psalm 83 war not in Psalm 83, learning the lesson that people who blab on and on from their own minds, a little scripture, but a lot of blabbering, are actually trying to force scripture into their theories, when scripture should speak for itself and be harmonious, throughout the Bible. You see the same true of cults, whose leaders write books filled with their own philosophies and doctrines they only use scripture to tangentially try to justify their dubious claims, that is, bad exegesis which only deceives. And what these so-called best seller book "scholars" are actually doing is trying to talk people into their theories to sell books. Their "teaching" is an infomercial for books and DVDs: they are actually on book tours, merchandising God, and people are taking their claims as doctrine these days!
So, I had to learn to be skeptical of most of what is popular in eschatology, not take for granted some big name in Christian popular culture really knows what they're talking about I may have trusted when young, learning the best exegesis comes from scholars who don't make a lot of noise and Bible teachers who derive their teachings from sure scripture harmonies and total context. Though it may be more boring, to not name the Antichrist or set a rapture date, at least it's truth. Most of what is popular eschatology out there is bunk, if actual scripture support is the measure. Just a few weeks ago, I looked into Rosh Hashanah, getting a bit irritated over seeing all these rapture date setters involving the "Feast of Trumpets." Well, the feast doesn't even really exist in the Bible as claimed! Appalling that most eschatology you hear these days isn't really in the Bible at all, as presented by these people selling books and websites. Some of these people, here's the only scripture harmony I can find,
2 Timothy 4:2-4 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
2 Peter 2:1-3 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
